Apparatus for determining the position of a device

Abstract

An apparatus and method are disclosed for use in a device, such as a handheld printer or scanner, having functionality that requires information of its position relative to an origin and initial orientation. The module includes two sensors to generate movement data indicative of movement direction and orientation changes of the device. The location and orientation of the device relative to the origin and initial orientation is derived based on the movement data. A handheld printer or scanner implementing the device may thus be moved in different directions across a media to print or scan images, text, or other objects.

1 . An apparatus comprising:
 a module configured to generate movement data in response to movement of a handheld device, the movement data indicative of location changes and orientation changes of the handheld device; and   a processor configured to receive the movement data and determine location and orientation data indicative of a position of the handheld device relative to a given location and a given orientation of the handheld device.   
     
     
         2 . The apparatus of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a spatial position module configured to identify when the handheld device loses physical contact with a medium.   
     
     
         3 . The apparatus of  claim 2 , wherein the processor is configured to select a spatial tracking mode when the handheld device loses physical contact with the medium. 
     
     
         4 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , further comprising:
 an inertial motion sensor configured to generate three-dimensional coordinates for the spatial tracking mode.   
     
     
         5 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the processor is a first processor, the apparatus further comprising:
 a second processor, wherein the first processor is adapted to communicate the location and orientation data to the second processor; and   a print mechanism, wherein the second processor is configured to determine print data based on the location and orientation data, and to communicate the print data to the print mechanism.   
     
     
         6 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 an imaging mechanism configured to generate image signals, wherein the second processor is configured to receive the image signals and generate image data based on the location and orientation data.   
     
     
         7 . The apparatus of  claim 5 , further comprising:
 a wireless communication module in communication with the second processor, wherein the wireless communication module is adapted to receive image data from a host device and communicate the image data to the second processor.   
     
     
         8 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the image data is a bitmap. 
     
     
         9 . The apparatus of  claim 7 , wherein the wireless communication module and the host device comprise a wireless local area network. 
     
     
         10 . The apparatus of  claim 3 , wherein the module comprises first and second motion sensors and is configured to communicate the movement data to the processor in response to movement of the first and second motion sensors. 
     
     
         11 . A tangible computer readable storage medium having processor executable instructions configured to:
 receive movement data indicative of location changes and orientation changes of a handheld device, and   determine location and orientation data indicative of a position of the handheld device relative to a given location and given orientation of the handheld device.   
     
     
         12 . The tangible computer readable storage medium of  claim 11 , the instructions further configured to:
 identify when the handheld device loses physical contact with a medium; and   select a spatial tracking mode when the device loses physical contact with the medium.   
     
     
         13 . The tangible computer readable storage medium of  claim 12 , the instructions further configured to:
 receive image data from a wireless communication module;   determine print data based on the image data and the location and orientation data; and   communicate the print data to a print mechanism.   
     
     
         14 . The tangible computer readable storage medium of  claim 12 , the instructions further configured to:
 receive image signals from an imaging mechanism; and   generate image data based on the image signals and the location and orientation data.   
     
     
         15 . An apparatus for use with a device, the apparatus comprising:
 a first motion sensor configured to generate a first motion signal in response to movement of the device;   a second motion sensor configured to generate a second motion signal in response to movement of the device;   a module configured to generate movement data based on the first motion signal and the second motion signal; and   a processor configured to determine a location and an orientation of the device based on the movement data.   
     
     
         16 . The apparatus of  claim 15 , further comprising:
 a spatial position module configured to identify when the device loses physical contact with a medium.   
     
     
         17 . The apparatus of  claim 16 , wherein the first processor is configured to select a spatial tracking mode when the device loses physical contact with the medium. 
     
     
         18 . The apparatus of  claim 17 , further comprising:
 an inertial motion sensor configured to generate three-dimensional coordinates for the spatial tracking mode.   
     
     
         19 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the processor is a first processor, the apparatus further comprising:
 a second processor, wherein the first processor is adapted to communicate the location and orientation data to the second processor; and   a print mechanism, wherein the second processor is configured to determine print data based on the location and orientation data, and communicate the print data to the print mechanism.   
     
     
         20 . The apparatus of  claim 18 , wherein the first motion sensor and the second motion sensor comprise respective light-emitting diode and complementary metal-oxide semiconductor pairs.